ClotCare is a member organization of the Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis. Click here to learn more about the Coalition to Prevent Deep Vein Thrombosis and DVT Awareness Month, which is held each March.

Should 3rd Generation Birth Control Pills be Banned? - Petition to Ban 3rd Generation OCs due to Increased Clotting Risk

An organization known as Public Citizen has submitted a petition to the FDA requesting an immediate ban of third generation oral contraceptives containing desogestrel "due to the approximately doubled risk of venous thrombosis... and lack of evidence of clinical benefit as compared to the second generation oral contraceptives." The group cites 14 studies indicating that third generation oral contraceptives carry a risk of venous thrombosis 1.5 to 2.4 times greater than that of first and second generation oral contraceptives. At the bottom of this page, we have provided links to the abstract or full text (depending on availability) of each of the studies cited in the petition.

What is a 3rd Generation Oral Contraceptive?

Second and third generation oral contraceptives are birth control pills that contain two types of hormones: (1) estrogen and (2) progestin. The difference between second and third generation pills is the type of progestin contained in the pill. Second generation pills contain norgestrel, levonorgestrel, or norgestimate. Third generation pills contain desogestrel or gestodene (outside of the US). According to this petition, the desogestrel is responsible for the increased clotting risk associated with third generation oral contraceptives.

Who is Behind this Petition?

The petition indicates that "Public Citizen, representing more than 100,000 consumers nationwide" is submitting the petition to the FDA. According to the group's own website, Public Citizen is:

"a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts."

The petition also is signed by 4 medical doctors (MDs), two of whom also hold MPH degrees (Masters in Public Health). The 4 MDs who signed this petition are:

Jay Parkinson, MD, MPH

Sylvia Park, MD, MPH

Sydney M. Wolfe, MD

Frits Rosendaal, MD

An Opposing View from Lisa Moore, MD

I (Marie) recently had the opportunity to attend a presentation on women's clotting issues at a patient education seminar hosted by the National Alliance for Thrombosis and Thrombophilia. Dr. Lisa Moore discussed a number of issues including the use of oral contraceptives and their clotting risk. I asked Dr. Moore for her opinion on the petition to ban 3rd generation oral contraceptives and she was kind enough to put her thoughts in writing for ClotCare. Click here to learn why Dr. Moore does not support the proposed ban on 3rd generation oral contraceptives..